Protesters Gather at 2nd Meeting of Pattaya Monorail Proposal

Published : September 21, 2010 :: 13:09:00 [ 1,902 views ]

A gathering of local residents and business owners formed to voice their opposition of the proposed Pattaya monorail network marred the second feasibility meeting of administrators at the Royal Cliff Resort on Tuesday.

Pattaya, the 20^th of September 2010 [PDN]: Gathered in front of the Royal Cliff Resort, a contingent of local residents, small business owners and concerned citizens met to protest the proposed Pattaya sky-train (monorail) project announced earlier this month.

The seminar, held between local administrators, consultants and contractors, was held to promote the proposed monorail project and further discuss the feasibility of the network and its impact on the community.

The proposed network will include a 6km monorail system running the length of Pattaya 2^nd Road incorporating 5 stations and an additional 4.3km development incorporating stations and a maintenance and construction facility heading towards Sukhumvit and Chaiphornvitee Roads.

Pattaya Administrative Assistant Mr. Sunthorn Rattanawaraha, chairing the seminar, advised that the meeting was organised to further hear research team evaluations on the project, its benefit to the community and public transport in the city.

Announced at Tuesday’s meeting was the appointment of 2 consultancy firms on the project, Chotjinda Muchell Consultant ltd and Tesco ltd. The parameters set for both consultancy firms to examine include;

- Proposal of a suitable system to be used in the project

- Elementary designs for the network and involved utilities

- Environmental and community impact assessments

- Public and local business opinion surveys

Mr. Rattanawaraha advised the seminar that the construction of a monorail system in Pattaya was to the benefit of the local community, businesses and visiting tourists, and was a necessary step in the development and upgrading of the city’s public transport network.

Acknowledging opposition to the project, Mr. Rattanawaraha, stated that ‘public hearing’ on the major project will become a major part in the decisional processes in future. Adding that opposition is inevitable in such major projects, urging the community to be patient and wait for the complete proposal to be formulated by the development team before formulating their objections.

Reportedly, the Pattaya City Hall administrators are considering other propositions, such as a light-rail (tram) system, should the majority of involved administrations and the community reject the sky-train proposal or should it be deemed infeasible.

At the center of protesters concerns, voiced by Mr. Surat Mekawarajun (Banglamung Culture Congress Chairman), is the environmental and business impact of the proposed development. Concerns include;

- Noise pollution of the network

- Obstruction of views and negative look of the system

- Loss of trade for local businesses who benefit from pedestrian traffic

- Loss of business for alternative public transportation services such as the local Baht-Buses and motorbike taxis.

Mr. Mekawarajun voiced the communities concerns that the network would only benefit large companies and businesses operating along the network such as Central Festival, Big C, Major and Royal Garden Plaza, while not considering the impact on small-medium businesses operating below the anticipated route.

Reportedly, the protest group, consisting of 33 community leaders and business owners, will get a chance to voice their objections of the project to the Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in the near future.

Comments

Robert

said :

A monorail within Pattaya would not be as effective as a monorail system from Pattaya to lets say, Bangsean or Chonburi.

A monorail system would be the most effective if it linked Pattaya to Bangkok, or other major cities. But that is of course a lot further in the future.

Let is first start city to city. If it was created within the city, I think the system would be pointless...

Email : sunofsiam@gmail.com Date : 2011-03-24 23:33:16

Blade

said :

Bob- don't know where they can get on, but most get off on Soi 6.

Email : blade@hotmail.com Date : 2010-10-14 23:23:58

Amirouche Roos

said :

Pattaya really needs a monorail, so that these tourists threating scooter-taxi-drivers would become to be less amount...

Email : cleanair@google.com Date : 2010-09-22 02:08:50

bob

said :

Could someone with an afternoon to spare travel on the Baht bus route and mark on a map where passengers get on and off.

This would make a map of where the passengers really want to go. This could then be compared to the location of the proposed monorail stations.

Email : bob@hotmale.com Date : 2010-09-22 00:26:50

Tony

said :

What is desired is less traffic in Pattaya. Well, rather than spending loads of money on this project, in my opinion it would be much better to implement a parking ban on Pattaya main roads and spending the money buying plots of land to make huge public parkings. Obligate all cars entering Pattaya to park their car on these parkings and you will all main roads in Pattaya and you will get two additional lanes on the main roads. And as a Thai is accustomed to be delivered in of the door it will also be a profitable business for the motorbike taxis and bath busses. Not to mention the less air pollution and the much better quality of life in the city that it would achieve. Maybe I'm a dreamer...

Email : tony0909@dreamland.com Date : 2010-09-21 15:54:21

email for Pattaya City Hall

said :

PDN should encourage their Pattaya City Hall contacts to have an email address that can be accessed by residents. They need to hear what people think.
PDN should even consider offering offer a mail box on PattayaDailyNews.com.

I suggest it it could be 1337 or pattaya_city_hall@pattayadailynews.com or yahoo.com.

Let's hope that Hugh Jorgan the Jerkoff does not hear about it and destroy it with his crap comments.

Email : pattaya_city_hall@yahoo.com Date : 2010-09-21 15:51:49

kill_the _monorail_plan

said :

That just too bad for the baht buses. They are the cause of much of the conjestion and problems on Pattaya roads. The fewer baht buses, the better for the rest of us. Retrain them to be soup vendors and collect garbage.

Kill the monorail plan and develope proper low fare buses with routes than make sense with proper connections, enforce designated bus stops and eliminate the baht buses.
Note: the previous bus routes were planned by complete idiots and thus, had to fail.

Email : killthemonorailplan@pattaya.com Date : 2010-09-21 15:43:26

Bob_is_boring

said :

"Bob said : As usual the Thais are angry and whinging/complaining again.Bob said : As usual the Thais are angry and whinging/complaining again."

Yeah Bob-that makes they them much different than you, right?

Email : Bob_is_boring@mail.com Date : 2010-09-21 15:31:59

Bob

said :

As usual the Thais are angry and whinging/complaining again.

Email : bob@toobad.com Date : 2010-09-21 15:19:15

robthailand

said :

I for one would support and idea to get rid of those Baht busses.
They are all driven by people who deserve to be put out of business. All the drivers are horrible and have never cared for public safety.

Email : robthailand1@hotmail.com Date : 2010-09-21 15:03:40

London Guy

said :

If we want to get this done efficiently and quickly, I suggest all readers of PDN write a letter the to Mayor to show support.

Email : southern-fairy@hotmail.com Date : 2010-09-21 14:52:39

True Brit

said :

Screw the Baht buses I for one cannot wait to see the completion of the Monorail in the year 2057.

Email : vaginus@gmail.com Date : 2010-09-21 14:49:32

Meetoo me

said :

This will end up just like that fantastic 3 color bus network that failed, remember the large buses stopping at selected routes around pattaya, I think there is just one lone bus now because no one used it. Who is going to climb a flight of stairs especially if they have had a skin full just to board something that will have the view of some bloody awful looking shophouse roofs and the mess on them.

Like or hate them, the simplicity and price of the baht buses means they will always succeed where others fail.

Btw, I wonder if they will give any thought to sea salt air and an all steel monorail?

Email : Meetoo@hotmail.com Date : 2010-09-21 14:36:58

Dirk The Daring

said :

These bozos could barely finish the road to Jomtiem and they are talking about a Monorail? LOL

A light rail (tram) could work, but people are so used to walking 10 meters for a baht bus or motorcycle taxi that it will take a miracle to walk to the stations.

Email : 123@yn.cx Date : 2010-09-21 14:06:39

oldjake

said :

Pattaya contractors have problems trying to complete a new road.

With this in mind what makes the leaders think completion of a monorail is at all possible.

They should concentrate on completing the existing projects before going on to something new.

Email : oldjake@hotmail.com Date : 2010-09-21 13:54:15

IQneg

said :

This plan will benefit the operators, the bureacrats' bankers, and those on the ego-trip of pretending Pattaya is a metropolis.
It will prove to be of little use to anyone else unless a) there is a station every 100m or so and b)the cost to passengers is limited to 10B northbound and 10 Baht southbound. This route is already more than adequately covered by the abundant to excess transport already available.
It will create a major eyesore where "sea view" is a major premium.
It will reduce the amount of roadspace currently available, thus worsening the current traffic constipation for which Pattaya is already reknowned.
The years of construction will be dirty, noisy and unsightly, discouraging the few tourists we still have.
Wake up Town Hall and file this idea where it belongs - if you can find a garbage contractor who will stick to his contract. Use the money to improve the place and its attractivity. Be original and recognise your responsibilities to your voters by put their interests first.

Email : IQneg@braindead.com Date : 2010-09-21 13:48:48

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